The present aspects relate to a computer device, and more particularly, to image and video capture in low light conditions.
Photography, video capture, and preview in low light conditions with red green blue (RGB) sensors demand a high amount of analog and digital gain to render colors correctly which has the side effect of visibly corrupting with noise the image. In low light conditions, it may not be possible to retrieve enough photons to correctly render the colors of the elements in the scene in the amount of time restrained by the image capture context (i.e., framerate, scene movement, and camera movement). One option for trying to compensate for image capture in low light conditions is using an additional light source in the visible spectrum of light (i.e., light-emitting diode (LED) or Xenon flash) to illuminate the scene enough so that the RGB sensor can capture enough light to render the scene with correct colors. Using additional visible light sources compromises the intent of capturing the scene in its original state.
Another option for trying to compensate for image capture in low light conditions is using a camera sensor outside of the visible spectrum (i.e., infrared (IR)) with a corresponding light source (i.e., in the IR spectrum) to illuminate and capture the scene without altering the scene in the visible spectrum of light. Images captured in the IR spectrum are usually rendered as monochrome (gray tone) images, without colors, making it hard to identify and convey the information of the scene as they are in the visible spectrum of light.
Yet another option for trying to compensate for image capture in low light conditions includes using a long exposure time to capture enough photons to render appropriately with colors the scene using a RGB sensor. During a long exposure time, objects in the scene may move or the camera itself might move resulting in blur in the capture and the scene not being rendered as the scene was at the moment the intent of capture was executed. Moreover, a capture stream may enforce certain characteristics to be respected that make the use of long exposure time impossible, such as framerate (i.e., video recording at 30 frames per second).
Another option for trying to compensate for image capture in low light conditions includes using specialized hardware to enhance light sensitivity of RGB camera systems, such as bigger pixels, larger aperture, a larger sensor, and/or a different color array instead of the traditional RGB Bayer filters on the sensor (e.g., Red-Green-Blue-White). Specialized RGB camera systems generally cost more to produce and come with compromises in terms of image quality in a regular context where plenty of light is available (i.e., lens flare, fish eye distortion, shallow field of view, cumbersome size, and higher thermal design power).
Thus, there is a need in the art for improvements in image and video capture in low light conditions.